Method for generating test cases for software program

Abstract

The method for generating test cases for a software program includes the step of setting a plurality of reference points in accordance with a sentence of the software program. The tracing pairs each including an initial test case as well as its adjacent vertex are set if one of them is among the reference points and the other one is not among the reference points. The essential test cases are chosen from the tracing pairs.

1. A method for generating test cases for a software program, the software program including at least one sentence, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of initial test cases; 
 setting a plurality of reference points in accordance with the at least one sentence, wherein the sentence includes n conditions, n is a positive integer, and the reference points are located among 2 n  vertices expanded from the n conditions; 
 setting tracing pairs each including an initial test case as well as its adjacent vertex if one of them is among the reference points and the other one is not among the reference points; 
 finding an initial test case having the greatest number of appearances in the tracing pairs upon the n conditions, and including this initial test case in a list of essential test cases; and 
 appending vertices constituting the tracing pair with the initial test case having the greatest number of appearances to the list of the essential test cases. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 setting a non-initial test case on the list of the essential test cases as a tracing point; and 
 appending an adjacent vertex of the tracing point to the list of the essential test cases if no tracing pair exists on one condition, and either of the tracing point and its adjacent vertex is among the reference points but the other one is not among the reference points. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a functional statement before the sentence in order to retrieve required information. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the functional statement is a prefix sentence or for use in recording condition value of the sentence. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , which is applied to adjust condition/decision coverage (MC/DC). 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 choosing any adjacent vertex of two tracing pairs if these two tracing pairs exist upon the same condition and each includes one essential test case.